A point of sale system generally tracks sales of goods and services at a retail establishment. A point of sale systems can be a simple cash register. However, many retail establishments utilize computer systems with multiple terminals to track a wide range of data on each transaction, including, for example, the name of the customer, the cashier, the goods and services sold, time and date of the transaction, gratuities and taxes. These systems may be integrated with inventory tracking systems and, in restaurants for example, order taking systems that deliver food orders to a kitchen for preparation.
Restaurants basically sell the services of food preparation and delivery. Most restaurants rely on persons to take food orders, whether it is at a walk-up counter or by a wait person at a table. However, in a certain restaurants, food orders may be taken over an intercom system. An intercom system generally has several extensions connected through a single switching apparatus. The majority of restaurants using an intercom simply have a drive-through window where customers order and pick-up food to take off-premises to eat. The intercom systems in these "fast-food" restaurants generally employ a single remote extension next to a drive-in lane operated by a person taking the order.
Drive-in restaurants often rely on intercom systems to take food orders, as do some novelty restaurants that place an intercom extension on each table or booth in a dining room. In drive-in restaurants, customers drive into a parking stall and eat in their vehicles on the premises. A menu and speaker is placed next to the drive-in stall. The customer orders food by pushing a call button next to the menu, which calls an order taking station via an intercom system. Someone then delivers the food to the car on a tray.
Like all retail service establishments, quality of services in a drive-in restaurant is paramount to customer satisfaction. However, patrons are remotely located on premises and can communicate with staff only through an intercom, making it more difficult to ensure that they are receiving an adequate level of services. Because the intercom is the primary mode of communication, establishing timely communication is critical to providing good quality service.